senator lindsey graham of south carolina is also now threatening to put a hold on the hagel nomination, even though there is no precedent for that ever. no cabinet nomination has ever been filibustered or held by a senator. while lindsey graham is making the decision as to whether or not he wants to be famous forever for doing something nobody else has ever done in the history of the senate in order to block chuck hagel, the current defense secretary leon panetta is on his way out. they gave mr. panetta his sendoff on saturday, though it looks like he'll probably be in charge for another week or so. his time has been a period of lasting change for the u.s. military. after the end of the iraq war, he has overseen the beginning of the end of america's longest war ever in afghanistan. the clinton era policy of "don't ask, don't tell" ended under leon panetta's watch, at his recommendation that the nation allow openly gay people to be a part of the military. last year secretary panetta took steps to reform the way the military deals with sexual assault in its ranks, going as far in those r